Re: cheap headphone + sound card (Sylvain Choisel )

Subject: Re: cheap headphone + sound card
From:    Sylvain Choisel  <SYC@xxxxxxxx>
Date:    Thu, 4 Dec 2008 15:21:20 +0100
List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>

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Dear Massimo,

We don't have very good experiences with USB-based Fast Track from 
M-Audio. Latency was not
an important issue for us, but drop-outs were definitely a no-go... 
especially with laptop computers
because of conflicting IRQs.
If latency and CPU load are an issue, then I would recommend sound cards 
with ASIO drivers, and
avoid USB. 
We are very pleased with RME interfaces (www.rme-audio.com). The Multiface 
comes both in a PCI 
and a PCMCIA version. A bit pricey but very reliable.
They also have the Fireface that works with the standard firewire 
protocol, and could be better suited 
for you if you plan to move it between stationary computers.
Might be slightly overkill though... 8 analog inputs and outputs + 
8-channel ADAT + SPDIF + midi...

Sylvain


AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception <AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx> 
wrote on 03/12/2008 14:34:37:

> Dear list members,
> 
> (apologies for the 100th technical question about headphone and 
soundcards)
> 
> - I need to buy 30 headphones for our computer room. I was looking for 
> something cheap (say less than 30-40 euros per headphone) but 
> (hopefully) not as bad. Any suggestion is welcome. (I remember a recent 
> post with a similar question. I looked for it in the archive but I 
> didn't found it.)
> 
> - I'm about to buy a sound card for the psychoacoustics/crossmodal 
> perception lab. I was targeting a USB M-AUDIO (i.e., Fast Track pro or 
> Fast track ultra). The idea of the USB was that we may move easily the 
> sound card if we need it. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with 

> these soundcards? Is there any reason why I should avoid USB cards (or 
> these two in particular)? Is any of you aware of temporal delays of USB 
> sound cards when they are used together in synchro with visual stimuli 
> (e.g., stimuli created with the psychtoolbox for example).
> 
> Any suggestion is more than appreciated,
> m
> 

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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Dear Massimo,</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">We don't have very good experiences
with USB-based Fast Track from M-Audio. Latency was not</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">an important issue for us, but drop-outs
were definitely a no-go... especially with laptop computers</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">because of conflicting IRQs.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">If latency and CPU load are an issue,
then I would recommend sound cards with ASIO drivers, and</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">avoid USB. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">We are very pleased with RME interfaces
(www.rme-audio.com). The Multiface comes both in a PCI </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">and a PCMCIA version. A bit pricey but
very reliable.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">They also have the Fireface that works
with the standard firewire protocol, and could be better suited </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">for you if you plan to move it between
stationary computers.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Might be slightly overkill though...
8 analog inputs and outputs + 8-channel ADAT + SPDIF + midi...</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Sylvain</font>
<br>
<br>
<br><tt><font size=2>AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception &lt;AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx&gt;
wrote on 03/12/2008 14:34:37:<br>
<br>
&gt; Dear list members,<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; (apologies for the 100th technical question about headphone and soundcards)<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; - I need to buy 30 headphones for our computer room. I was looking
for <br>
&gt; something cheap (say less than 30-40 euros per headphone) but <br>
&gt; (hopefully) not as bad. Any suggestion is welcome. (I remember a recent
<br>
&gt; post with a similar question. I looked for it in the archive but I
<br>
&gt; didn't found it.)<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; - I'm about to buy a sound card for the psychoacoustics/crossmodal
<br>
&gt; perception lab. I was targeting a USB M-AUDIO (i.e., Fast Track pro
or <br>
&gt; Fast track ultra). The idea of the USB was that we may move easily
the <br>
&gt; sound card if we need it. Does anyone have experience (good or bad)
with <br>
&gt; these soundcards? Is there any reason why I should avoid USB cards
(or <br>
&gt; these two in particular)? Is any of you aware of temporal delays of
USB <br>
&gt; sound cards when they are used together in synchro with visual stimuli
<br>
&gt; (e.g., stimuli created with the psychtoolbox for example).<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; Any suggestion is more than appreciated,<br>
&gt; m<br>
&gt; <br>
</font></tt>
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